abstract: This dissertation contains a portfolio of papers in economics. The first paper, ``Vehicle Emissions Inspection Programs: Equality and Impact," presents the results of a study of the Arizona Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program. Using a unique data set, I find that the Arizona Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program is regressive in that it constrains the vehicle repair decisions of people on the low end of the income distribution more than those on the high end. I also find that the social cost of the program in Arizona is more than twice the social benefit, assuming a \$7 million value of statistical life. The second paper is ``Fiat Value in the Theory of Value." Because of advances in information processing technology, it is now technically feasible to have a currency-less monetary system. This paper explores one such system. In the model, prices are in units currency-less fiat money called fiat value, fiat value is a form of government debt, and the services of the stock of fiat value are a factor of production. In this system, the National accounts must be revised to account for money as a production factor, Friedman satiation is possible even with positive inflation, and various monetary policy regimes are explored. The third paper, ``Unconventional Monetary Policy in a Modern Paradigm of Money," uses the model developed in ``Fiat Value in the Theory of Value" to evaluate quantitative easing and interest on reserves policies as a response to liquidity shocks. I find that quantitative easing is an effective response to liquidity crises because it drives the marginal product of money to zero. When the marginal product of money is zero, the business sector does not have to pay to rent the services of money, a production factor that is free to create. I also show that a positive interest on reserve policy hampers the effectiveness of quantitative easing, and that quantitative easing does not cause a high inflation rate. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Economics 2017

Submitted by João Valente (joaopaulovalente@hotmail.com) on 2013-09-21T14:35:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_FINAL.pdf: 645576 bytes, checksum: 5dcd3933e691c9eb4d85777d7f20904f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Janete de Oliveira Feitosa (janete.feitosa@fgv.br) on 2013-09-27T13:44:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_FINAL.pdf: 645576 bytes, checksum: 5dcd3933e691c9eb4d85777d7f20904f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2013-09-30T12:35:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_FINAL.pdf: 645576 bytes, checksum: 5dcd3933e691c9eb4d85777d7f20904f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-30T12:35:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_FINAL.pdf: 645576 bytes, checksum: 5dcd3933e691c9eb4d85777d7f20904f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-19 / Neste trabalho, propusemos um modelo DSGE que busca responder algumas questões sobre políticas de afrouxamento monetário (Quantitative Easing - QE) recentemente implementadas em resposta à crise de 2008. Desenvolvemos um modelo DSGE com agentes heterogêneos e preferred-habitat nas compras de títulos do governo. Nosso modelo permite o estudo da otimalidade da compra de portfolio (em termos de duration dos títulos) para os bancos centrais quando estão implementando a política. Além disso, a estrutura heterogênea nos permite olhar para distribuição de renda provocada pelas compras de títulos. Nossos resultados preliminares evidenciam o efeito distributivo do QE. No entanto, nosso modelo expandido apresentou alguns problemas de estabilidade. / In this paper, we proposed a DSGE model that seeks to answer some questions about the recent implemented Quantitative Easing (QE) programs. Our framework is a DSGE model with heterogeneous agents and preferred-habitat in purchases of government bonds. It allows the study of optimality purchasing portfolio (in terms of duration of the bonds) for central banks when they are implementing the policy. Furthermore, the heterogeneous structure allows us to look at income distribution caused by purchases of these securities. Our preliminary results show some distributive effect of QE. However, our expanded model showed some stability problems.

In this paper, I examine the effects of unconventional monetary policies and quantitative easing programs in the U.S and UK on their respective commercial real estate markets. I study two sample periods (2007-2017 and 2009-2017) and find that between 2007 and 2017, quantitative easing and the expansion of the U.S monetary base significantly drives the returns of the U.S commercial indices as well as the returns of the UK commercial index. Between 2009 and 2017, I find the expansion of the U.S monetary base only drives the UK commercial index. The difference in the results between these two sample periods may be a function of the magnitude of assets being purchased by the Fed prior to 2009 as well as the volatility and uncertainty that gripped the markets between October and December of 2008. I find that the UK index drives the expansion of the UK monetary base in both 2007-2017 and 2009-2017. This is likely the result of global uncertainty and volatility surrounding 2008 as well as the risk of financial market collapse inspiring monetary policy action. I also find the indices show a predominantly negative reaction to U.S and UK monetary policy events; suggesting the indices react negatively to the events that preceded the monetary policy announcements as well as the announcements themselves.

This thesis deals with the impact of quantitative easing on public sector bond yields of selected countries in the world. It mentions channels of standard monetary policy tools and channels of quantitative easing, which can be included among unconventional monetary policy tools. This thesis analyses the impacts of quantitative easing, which was done by the Federal Reserve System, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank. Firstly, all these institutions fought against the financial crisis with standard monetary policy tools. However, those tools were not very effective, therefore the institutions moved to non-standard tools. After the analysis based on event-study method was carried out, it was found out that mainly the first announcements about the policy of quantitative easing were always the most effective in decreasing government bond yield. The subsequent expansion of the policy of quantitative easing did not have such impact. The main benefit of this thesis is in the examination of the impact of later statements regarding quantitative easing on government bond yield, which were not effective in decreasing government bond yield.

The objective of this master thesis is to appraise quantitative easing on markets in the USA, Eurozone and Japan. The emphasis in the analysis is on evaluation of monetary policy, appraisal of measures taken and their impact on the main macroeconomic indicators. Quantitative easing belongs to the unconventional tools of central banks. Bank of Japan was the first bank which used QE, than Bank of England and the Fed. ECB set the final round of quantitative easing in March 2015 and it is still a highly debated monetary policy instrument.

The diploma thesis focuses on quantitative easing in Japanese economy. In the first part the problematic is set into a theoretical frame and then is connected with the development of the modern Japanese economy. The thesis describes the progress of the both waves of quantitative easing which have been implemented so far as well as the circumstances of their start and their so far known impacts. The application part presents an evaluation of the impacts of the current wave of quantitative easing. The evaluation is based on the impulse-response analysis.

The master thesis analyzes "quantitative easing" policy in the USA which is very controversial. Quantitative easing influences a liquidity of the bank system and has different impact on economic variables. The relationship between growth of total reserves and economic variables is analyzed during 9/2008 - 3/2012 by Eviews program. The conclusion is that impact of quantitative easing policy on economic variables has been different in comparison with former assumptions.

The master thesis analyses potential impacts of introduction of the quantitative easing by the Czech National Bank as a new monetary instrument in the Czech Republic, which would be used as a means of fight against the economic cycle. Instruments which a central bank can use in the area of monetary policy become limited in the era of major interest rates inclining to zero. Power of conventional means becomes insufficient. As a result, more and more central banks consider introduction of a relatively new instrument -- quantitative easing which is applied e.g. by the FED or the ECB at present. The main goal of the thesis is to assess advantages and disadvantages of introduction of quantitative easing by the Czech National Bank and its ability to influence the economic cycle when basic principles of quantitative easing are applied on a real small opened economy. The output should present analysis and assessment of costs and benefits arising from introduction of quantitative easing. Actual data from the economies, where the quantitative easing has been applied, are analyzed in the thesis. The results of the analysis are used as a basis for creation of a simple universal model of functioning of quantitative easing which is after customizing according to specifics of the Czech economy, applied to the Czech Republic. Three possible scenarios of development of economy after introduction of quantitative easing by the CNB were developed on the basis of the model which differs from each other as they relate to a different phase of economic cycle.

This thesis aims to investigate the long-term behaviour of the Swedish stock market under quantitative easing (QE) between the years 2015-2019 in comparison to an equally long period before the implementation of QE. The relationship is analysed within the framework of transmission channels of monetary policy and with considerations for previous research on the topic. By the means of an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, we conduct a regression analysis using the price level of the OMX Stockholm 30 (OMXS30), the value of Riksbank’s assets, the short-term interest rate and the industrial production index. The results show significant but weak evidence of a positive relationship between the OMXS30 index and the Riksbank’s assets value. Furthermore, we analyse the findings to provide an insight into the transmission of unconventional monetary policy to the stock market in a small open economy. Finally, we present some broad implications of our study, as well as suggestions for future research on the topic.

This thesis has identified a gap in literature regarding the effects of quantitative easing (QE) on equities since the financial crisis in 2008. An event study has been conducted to investigate the portfolio rebalance effect stating that assets not regarded as close substitutes to targeted assets under the QE-scheme, e.g. equities, should respond with a lag to new information regarding QE. Also literature suggests that larger stocks should tend to lead smaller stocks. Assuming investors regard larger stocks as safer we aim to test the hypotheses that stocks will respond to QEannouncements containing new, unanticipated information and that larger, safer stocks will lead smaller, more volatile. The responses in the U.S. stock indices S&P 500, its corresponding sectors as well as mid and small cap indices are examined on nine identified events. Results show that stocks respond immediately on the day of a QE-announcement, but also that returns continue to increase the following days after. Also smaller, more volatile stocks have larger average abnormal returns compare to larger, less volatile stocks.